Deer population

[harvey lee]

I just got home from my annual trip to get my things set up for the Twist of Fate handi-capped hunt I guide for.

After spending 3 days in the area checking my usual haunts that I have hunted for the past 23 years, I can say without doubt that this will be one of the poorest harvest that I have ever seen in ND.

I have my lottery rifle and ML tags but I will not be purchasing a archery license this season for sure as I do not want to harvest any does until the herd gets back up a bit.

[TylerS]

Well, what can you say? We know one thing for sure: the G&F's goal of reducing the state's deer herd has worked almost flawlessly. Generous doe tags combined with several tough back-to-back-to-back winters created a perfect storm for deer mortality. The farmers and ranchers who were complaining about too many deer certainly can't any more.

Still, herds must not be too bad, though. Quite a few tags available before the lottery, and I have a feeling there will be more than enough doe tags left over for first-come, first-serve after the third drawing. I know I'm going to be buying a couple. I've only been able to fill one that past couple of years, but I'm going to hit it hard on opener to fill my three so I can concentrate on birds for the rest of the fall. Gotta fill the freezer!

[harvey lee]

Some areas may have extra doe tags but not 2G1.

Like I stated in my 1st post, I will not harvest a doe this season as there are simply not enough left.

I will wait for a few easy winters before I will harvest a does again.

yes, the last 3 winters have been hard on the deer. This past spring we found many dead deer lying in the alfalfa fields trying to get something to eat.

I am sure that the bucks took a very hard hit also.

I may have to just chase coyotes as there are plenty of them.

[Scoot]

Dang! I was afraid this would be the report... I figured the word wouldn't be too good, but I have to admit that your description is worse than I expected. Sadly, it'll take quite a few years to get back to normal, and that's only if we have decent Winters.

Yes, lots of yotes! I think I mentioned it before, but my camera had only a couple yote pics in the late Winter with plenty of deer pics. In April, May, and June, there were only a few pics of scraggly looking deer and lots of pics of very fat, healthy yotes!

Dang- depressing news about the deer numbers for sure.

[harvey lee]

Carter picked up quite a few dead deer laying in the field to the east in the area you had your trail camera Scoot.

He did not say what was in the big hay field to the north or the bigger field to the west of the road.

I will have a better report after the Twist of fate hunt as I have some corn out now in 2 areas to see what is there for deer.

[Scoot]

Dang, I hope you see more positive signs during that hunt than the "doom and gloom" report so far. I'm afraid there may be a lot of areas with very similar reports this year though...

If you need help over the next couple weeks with Twist of Fate stuff, be sure to let me know.

[harvey lee]

I may need for you to run down there and fill my corn pile in about 2-3 weeks if that works for you.

I will send an e-mail with the approx dates if I need help.

Thanks Scoot.

I know when I talked to the local CO, he thought the deer took a pretty hard hit and the pheasants were not far behind.

Darn yotes can make it though.

[Scoot]

Sounds good, Tom. I have to leave the area for work for about ten days starting on the 21st, but shouldn't have a problem before that. Let me know how I can help.